Trunks' Worst Nightmare
by Mysteec
Summary: The story takes place two months after Tapion has went back to his home world. Trunks is very happy about having his 'brother's' sword until he dreams that Goten was killed by someone whom he thought he knew... Only difference is that this someone is be


_**Trunks' Worst Nightmare**_

The story takes place two months after Tapion has went back to his home world. Trunks is very happy about having his 'brother's' sword until he dreams that Goten was killed by someone whom he thought he knew... Only difference is that this someone is bent on revenge... A brother from the past.

**_Author's Note:_** I just this would be a great little Halloween fanfic even though I didn't make it up around Halloween! You think this story will have a happy ending your wrong. It ends on a bitter-sweet note. If you read it then you'll find out the outcome. (and you'll feel sorry for Trunks)

"Hey Goten, what's up?" eight-year-old Trunks asked, happy to see his best friend. He was over at the Son's house again. He had brought his sword so that he could practice with it, and maybe let Goten try it out. Goten who was a year younger than Trunks, was eating a Carmel apple. His face was all sticky from the caramel, "Not much, Gohan's gone on another date with Videl." "Ah, Gohan's such a nerd. Girls like that. Hey lets go into the woods after we eat so we can do some training!" "Yeah!" Goten said happily. He liked going there to train and have crazy adventures. He suddenly remembered how sticky his face was, "But Trunks, I can't go all sticky like this," Trunks just shrugged, "Just wash it off and quit complaining." he said. Trunks impulsively decided to poke him, "Tag you're It!" "Hey no fair! You didn't even tell me we were going to play this game!" Goten shouted but soon peeled into laughter. So simple-minded and childish. It was cute for a little while, but after awhile it ground on your nerves if it happened long enough. They went inside where Chi-Chi cooked them lunch. After they were done they went outdoors into the nearby woods. After getting tired of sparring, Trunks decided to practice with his sword. He wasn't very good at it yet (which was of course ridiculous because he had handled it like he held that very blade before when he had cut off Hildagarn's tail.) He couldn't figure out why his hands were failing him now. After a few disgraceful attempts to cut a tree down cleanly he gave up the attempt for the day. "Hey Trunks, can I try?" asked Goten seeing that Trunks wasn't practicing anymore. For some reason Trunks was sort off in his own world. It didn't happen often; in fact it happened rarely, but it was enough to ask what was the matter. "What is it Trunks? Can I try or not?" Trunks finally seemed to have heard him, for he slowly turned his head, "No," he said in a low voice, "Hey what gives Trunks? Why can't I?" "It doesn't belong to you Goten!" he suddenly shouted, "Its belongs to--" he stopped suddenly realizing that he had the sword at his friend's throat, ready to slice and dice his head into a million pieces. Again like he had with Hildagarn he felt the familiar and experienced grip he had on the sword. Like he had held it before. "Trunks get off! You're crushing me!" came Goten shrill order. Trunks suddenly gasped, his mind back to reality. "Sorry Goten," he mumbled backing off. "I didn't mean to do that. I...I just don't what came over me." "I'm sorry I got you so mad." Goten said looking down, "No...no its not your fault Goten. Not at all. Still friends?" "Of course! Just don't scare me like that again." "To tell you the truth I'm shaken up too a bit." he muttered mainly to himself. He thought of something else to occupy their time and tried to forget what happened. He couldn't forget though. It had been scary; almost like he had zoned out and became someone else. He later thought about the incident but it only gave birth to frightening thoughts. It seemed to him like he had been controlled temporarily or else it was the sword that seemed to have changed him. He didn't know which. If it was the sword that made him react violently and without warning...He needed to keep his mind from taken over again. He was still puzzled on why it was doing _now,_ instead of when he first got it. He fell asleep with these restless thoughts in mind. Overall, he didn't sleep well either.

Late into the night, three stones were thrown on Goten's window arousing him. He got on his warmest clothes, namely his gi outfit. "Goten! Come out here." came Trunks' voice. What was he doing here this late at night? Goten opened the window, "What are you doing here in the dead of night Trunks?" He couldn't see Trunks for it was it a new moon and no light was being cast, "I just discovered a cool game." he said excitably, "Uuwee, what kind of game?" "You know that game where you hit the target with the hammer, except that it has a rubber end instead of a metal one, and trying to make the bell go to the top?" "Uh huh." said Goten getting excited. "Well, I've found an old hammer like they use in that game, in the woods earlier. I forgot to tell you before the umm, the 'incident' happened." "Oh that's no problem Trunks. You want to show me now?" "Yeah. I haven't been sleeping well. Too wired I guess. Plus I was wanting to show you all day." Goten quietly crept out of the window and very easily shut it. He turned to see Trunks standing at the edge of the woods. Had Goten been a year or two older he would've realized that there was a notable difference in height. But being Goten that he is, he didn't pay it any mind. Trunks began to walk into the woods but he kept just out of Goten's sight, which obviously wasn't hardly any better than human sight. "Hey Trunks, slow down! I can't see you!" "Come on Goten!" he heard Trunks say somewhere in front of him, "Use your energy to light up the place a little bit." "Ohh right! I completely forgot." he said sheepishly feeling stupid. He powered up until a blue aura surrounded him, "Ah much better. _Now_ I can see." Still Trunks managed to keep out of his sight, until they got into a clearing. Goten powered down the woods and suddenly turned much darker without it. "Now," began Trunks suddenly very near Goten, "We are going to play hide-and-go-seek." Goten was thrown into confusion, "But we were going to play with the hammer." "Ah, we are. But you see the head and the handle are broken in two pieces. That why I propose we play hide-and-go-seek. The pieces are _hidden_ and we are the _seekers_, get it?" "Oh I get it now!" said Goten his face lighting up, "Do we have to count to ten?" He heard Trunks slump in his stupidity. "_No_, Goten. Why would we want to count to ten when they're already hidden?" "Oh," He heard Trunks walk off, "Wait! Are we going to look for them together or what?" Goten heard him turn around, "No, we'll do it separately. It'll be more fun that way and it'll make things interesting. But there is a time limit. Get one or both pieces before sunrise." "What's the reward at the end other than a hammer?" "Uhh," he looked down in thought then back up, "Haven't thought that far ahead yet Goten. I'll just have to see whenever the time comes." "Ok see you later after I win!" Him and Trunks went their separate ways.

Trunks waited until Goten had left before he unhitched the mallet from his side, in one piece, looking at it. This thing looks like it could do some damage to a little head like Goten's... he thought with evil glee. He put it back and unsheathed his sword, admiring it. Oh yes Trunks you shall finish what you started with Goten earlier. The boy always wants the sword for himself. He doesn't understand that it isn't his! It belongs to _me_! He shoved it back into its sheath. Oh yes, he would show Trunks what it was like to lose a brother...

It had been several hours since they parted and Goten was getting very thirsty and hungry. He found a clear stream in which he drank from. After a moment of drinking, he felt satisfied. But he was still hungry. Dawn was approaching very slowly. The game was beginning to bore Goten as he grew sleepy. "Hey Trunks!" he spoke out, not thinking that Trunks might've been out of earshot, "This game is starting to loose its fun. I wanna go back home and go back to sleep!" he complained, "I haven't found either piece yet!" he was pouting now He now really realized that he was lost. "Loosing interest in the game already?" came Trunks' voice from somewhere above Goten's head, "It is only beginning to get fun! Just to be fair, I'll tell where one piece is. I've decided to be nice and let you find at least one of them." "Really?" asked Goten again not paying attention to the change in Trunks' voice. "Yeah. Go about thirty steps ahead in the direction you facing." Goten was skeptical but did as he was told. When he had walked thirty steps, for now he was where the path had split into several others. he asked, "Now where?" Take the path furthest to your right." Again he did as Trunks told. He suddenly found himself at a dead end, "Hey Trunks that wasn't very funny!" he snapped angrily turning around. He heard Trunks chuckling somewhere above him. Only if he could tell where he was! He didn't like being tricked this way. It wasn't funny. There was no immediate answer from Trunks. Trunks could be mean but he would never leave without him...would he? Goten decided to wait awhile until he felt that Trunks had time to think about the way he was behaving. A whole hour crept by. Goten had almost fell asleep when heard someone call his name. "Goteeeeen... Oh, Goteeeen. Its tiime Goten." "Hmm? Time for what Trunks? Is the game over?" Trunks did not reply; instead landed quietly behind Goten. "Yes," came his voice right in Goten's ear, "Its time for you to go nighty-night!" Goten suddenly realized, far too late, that that voice wasn't Trunks'; it had been clever mimic all along. He turned to see who it was, but was greeted by the metallic head of the mallet as it smashed into his face, crushing and shoving the bony ridge of his nose into his brain, killing him instantly. He slumped over not moving. An alien youth stood over the dead child's body. It's a shame that he had to kill him. He almost hadn't wanted to because of his innocent childish mind. Almost. "Life's not fair Goten," said the alien boy, "A shame you didn't realize it before I hammered you. But your best friend must suffer for being a thief." 

"_Noooooo!_" Trunks screamed, falling off his bed taking the sheets with him. He was tangled up in his own bed sheets. He squirmed his way out, his body almost dripping with sweat, gasping. He lay there a moment on the floor. _Oh God. It was only a nightmare...Just a terrible nightmare... _he muttered. He looked over to the clock beside his bed: four-thirty in the morning. He went into the bathroom to wash his face. In the mirror, his eyes were brimming in tears. He had never had a nightmare like that. Ever. _Look at me,_ thought Trunks, _I'm a complete mess. I'm too old to be crying over some dumb nightmare._ He tried to go back to sleep when he got back in his room but he quickly realized that would be impossible. If it was just a dumb nightmare, then why was his flesh still crawling? He decided to get back up and walk around a bit to sooth his nerves. He barely got past his door when he ran into his father, "Papa!" he nearly jumped through his skin, "Trunks what are you doing up so early?" Vegeta asked with an amused look. "Taking a walk," his son muttered. He didn't want to tell his father that he woke up from a nightmare, scared like a little kid. For the first time Trunks saw that his father was looking at him with genuine concern, and outside the gravity room, "Trunks, was it a nightmare that awoke you?" He began to worry about Trunks since the fight Buu, and began to worry about him even more since Hildagarn. The child was having horrific nightmares, most of them the boy never remembered, but he would wake up in the middle of the night screaming or whimpering.

At first, Vegeta had just shrugged it off saying to Bulma, "The boy will get over it. He's a Saiyan-jin remember?" Still Bulma comforted her son like she would've done to any other child. Vegeta didn't like that either, "The boy needs to learn to comfort himself woman if you would just let him." Bulma gave him the silent treatment for about three days when he said that. Also she gave him no sex during that three days either which bothered Vegeta greatly.  
He finally stopped ignoring it when one night Bulma was not at home and he was left to 'baby-sit' Trunks. Which wasn't hard to do since the boy was asleep most of time. The partly destroyed areas of Capsule Corp done by Hildagarn, had been rebuilt by then. The boy awoke about mid-night screaming his head off. Vegeta was instantly alert and ran upstairs. He found his son tucked into a corner of his bed, curled up in a ball, thumb in his mouth. He had never seen his son look so scared in his life. The sight of it very nearly frightened Vegeta himself, but he dared not show it. "Papa..." Trunks whimpered looking at him with big scared eyes, "He tried to kill me..." "Who Trunks? Who tried to kill you?" "Him! My own brother--" the poor boy said wretchedly and began sob. Vegeta just let him cry it all out on his shoulder. _Tapion? It couldn't be possible._ From what Vegeta gathered, Tapion wouldn't hurt a fly unless he felt he had to. But not Trunks, he knew. They had been tight buddies. So why was Tapion (if it _was_ him) trying to kill him? "At least I _thought_ it was Tapion..." Trunks said weakly now a little quieter. He hiccupped. "Go wash your face up boy and stop all this crying. It was only a nightmare. That is all." That was the first time Trunks had a bad dream about Tapion. Vegeta wasn't good at reading dreams or whatever, but he felt that his son was afraid of something far worse than Tapion's betrayal or Hildagarn's might. Though Vegeta snorted at the thought, it occurred to him that maybe Trunks was scared of Tapion's vaguely mentioned brother. Of course that was stupid. Tapion had told him that his brother was a sweet kid just like Trunks.  
"Trunks I want you to tell me." Vegeta said presently. "Yes," his son finally whispered. "But it was different this time." Vegeta arched an eyebrow, "How so?" "It wasn't about Tapion, at least for the most part it wasn't, not really. It was Goten." "What about him?" "He...he..." Trunks face broke up remembering just how Goten's existence was wiped from the face of the Earth. "Someone had been mimicking my voice and lured him to his death." he finally sobbed out. "What's worse, I remember how he sounded. Just like me but not like me. So angry and vengeful. That's when I woke up." Trunks was shaking from head to foot out of fear and anger. "I didn't like it at all. Christ it was awful." Vegeta looked at his son with mixed feelings but told him as calmly as he could that it was just a nightmare and if he was so worried about it, to go and have a look around the Son's place. For the second time in four months he held his son. Eventually, Trunks went to sleep in his father's arms.

Trunks was later jarred awake by someone shaking him. He quickly woke up to see his mother's panicked face, "Trunks, the Son's just called." "Why?" he asked. He thought maybe it was Goten trying to get ahold of him. The next words from her mouth shattered that thought, "Its Goten. He's missing. They haven't seen him all day and he wasn't in his bed when they got up this morning." "So? he went for an all day stroll. What's the big deal?" "Trunks... Bulma said in an quiet tone, "They can't _sense_ him, that's the big deal! They don't know where he's at. We need your help to find him." Trunks' stomach churned violently. _Oh no please don't let the dream be real...Please... _He looked over at the clock to see it was five o'clock in the afternoon. He had slept the entire day. "Mom, why didn't you wake me up sooner?" His mother blushed slightly, "Vegeta told me..er.. the dream you had last night and how you had not slept at all." "Mom! I'm fine." he said exasperated, "I know. Now get ready. All of us have separated into different parties." "What about me? Who am I going to be with?" "Me, Videl, and Chi-Chi will be a group and your father, and Gohan are going to be with you." "Alright!" "Hurry up and get dressed now. We have to get started again as soon as possible." With that his mother left. He quickly put on his gi. He looked at the sword leaning against the wall thoughtfully. Should he take it with him? What if it takes over again? What if he really hurts somebody with it unintentionally? What if... _Shut up!_ another voice spoke up, _Just take the damn thing for protection. Who cares about whether it'll take over. Its better to be safe than sorry._ With the decision made, Trunks left the sword there. He wasn't going to take any chances of letting it control him again.

Just as he thought his father would do Vegeta wanted the three of them to split up. "We'll be able to cover more ground that way." No one argued with that. "Trunks you know all the favorite places you and Goten like to hang out at. We'll check elsewhere." he had told his son. That had been fifteen minutes ago. He had checked nearly everywhere except for the nearby woods that they been in yesterday. He wasn't sure if he wanted to go in there, but it was the only place he hadn't looked. He sighed and walked in. The forest was thicker than it seemed yesterday. he thought as he climbed over another log. Now he wished he had brought his sword. There could be nothing done about it now.He was now by a ledge overlooking a deeper and darker forest below. Something moved in the trees above him. He whirled around, "Goten?" he asked uncertain. He hadn't realized until he had spoken out loud, that he was afraid of being here. His stomach churned again. Oh god he did not like this place at all. He walked into the safety of the woods. He didn't like looking over the edge.

That's when he saw Goten's footprints. He finally had a path to follow. Trunks followed this path for some time before he realized that Goten's footprints were going in circles. He suddenly felt a heavy weight fall on him, feeling him with dread. This place was looking all too familiar. Without realizing it, he walked the very path that Goten had been instructed to go on. The shadows lengthened and night was beginning to fall. Now Trunks was at the crossroads. He turned to the one most to his right. He didn't go far before he vaguely saw Goten, slumped over. "Goten!" he cried out hoarsely running to his friend. "Goten? Goten come on, get up!" he nearly shouted into his face. He felt sick as he saw that Goten's nose was mashed in not moving at all. _Oh no... no no no _no he thought backing away from his dead friend, feeling sick with fear. The dream had been no dream. It had really happened. He ran back to edge that looked over the forest below, trying to see if he could see his father or Gohan. They were nowhere to be seen.

Something moved through the trees behind him. Trunks whirled around, and despite his fear, he was ready to kick _someone's_ ass. But there was nothing there. No. There _was_ something. The bushes swayed again. "Come out and show yourself!" Trunks challenged. A lone squirrel came running out of the bushes. "Whoa!" he jumped. He sighed once he realized what it was. Apparently he was more tense then he had thought. For some reason though he kept looking into the bushes. It looked strange to him with the patches of green, red, and brown. Something wasn't right here; he could feel it. One of the leaves blinked at him. "What?" he muttered blinking not sure what he _saw,_ is what he saw. It took him a minute to realize that he was staring at someone's eye! The bushes swayed again. "Hi!" crowed the youth, raising his head. He jumped out at Trunks trying to grab his neck as they went tumbling down the steep ledge. They rolled and rolled, neither of them getting their hands around the other's throat. Trunks couldn't see him for it had grown nearly pitch-black now. They hit the bottom--with Trunks hitting the bottom hardest. Hands that were not much bigger than his own, found his neck, crushing down on his windpipe. Squeezing the life out of him. He couldn't see who it was. He couldn't breath. His strength was already fading from him. Everything swam wildly as his world began to close in around him. He tried desperately to get the other boy's hands off, but he no longer had the strength. The world grew even darker. He felt faint. Then for some reason, the boy let go of him, taking a sudden leave. Trunks gasped in air as the boy's hands left his neck. He rolled to his side trying to gulp in air. "Trunks are you alright?" It was Gohan. Oh what a relief! "Yes, I...I think so." Trunks managed to say, his face paler than a sheet.. But he knew he wasn't alright. Someone had just tried to kill him. And he knew they were likely to try again.

Gohan looked Trunks over. "Glad I came when I did." he said looking back up the ledge in which Trunks and his attacker tumbled down from, "He would've killed you. Did you get to see his face?" Trunks shook his head, "I'm sure that I would've not wanted to. It was too dark to see. I just know he's equal with me in strength." "I guess I must've interrupted him." "Yeah you did. He killed Goten. I know it. I just know it." "How?" asked Gohan worried. Trunks didn't answer. Then: "I..I dreamed that it happened. I came here and he was...slumped over just like he had been in the dream and..." Trunks couldn't repeat the story again. He'd let Gohan figure out on his own that his brother was dead. "Trunks where is he at?" he asked in a quiet tone, "You don't want to see him Gohan. You don't. It would be better if you didn't." If Trunks hadn't looked so vulnerable and afraid, he would've went to go see where his brother was. But he didn't; he stayed there just in case his attacker would come back. But he never did. They called off the search a few minutes later and there were many bitter tears shed that night.

He was in the same forest just outside of the Son's house, since he had been brought here two months ago. It was a cold night but he didn't care. His anger kept him warm. The boy was looking down at his hands in fury. _So damn close!_ his mind seethed, _So close! Had Gohan not interrupted him..._ His hands tightened into fists. "Oh I'll get my revenge Trunks. One way or another. You just wait. You should've died the first time. But now you must suffer. And suffer greatly. You just wait..." He jumped up unsheathing his sword. He just remembered where that little brat lived.

His room was dark as Trunks tossed and turned in his bed, unable to sleep. The image of his attacker trying to strangle him kept him awake. Goten's mashed in face haunted him. He couldn't get these images out of his head. And Goten... He didn't understand why the kid (for now he felt sure that it was a kid near his own age) had killed Goten at all. It didn't make any _sense... _He didn't see a _motive _for_ why _he did it. Goten was just a kid, really. His best friend and closest thing he had to a human brother. _Goten... _His eyes welled up. He couldn't be wished back. He had already died before. He heard someone or something scratching on his window. Trunks was instantly suspicious, for he slept on the second floor. It sounded like metal scraping on glass. He grabbed his sword and put on his gi, now ready to take on the asshole if he came in. He had shut his blinds so that no one could see in. He realized that was a mistake for he couldn't see who was outside. "Come on in asshole. he said aloud, "I'm not going to get caught off guard again." He was very surprised when someone retorted back at him, "Well, why don't _you_ come on _out_ asshole?" That got under Trunks' nerve. "Actually I think I will!" He yanked the blinds up only to come face-to-face with the mallet head. He dodged but not fast enough. It hit him over the side of the head, stars exploding behind his eyes, holding his head as he crumbled to the floor . The boy stepped through the open window, "Hmm, nice room." he said looking around, "A shame that most people don't lock their windows like they do their doors." Trunks glared up at him despite the roaring pain in his head. Damnit he had caught him off guard--again. "What do you want with me? What did I ever do to you? And who _are_ you?" Trunks could see the vague outline of the half- Mohawk, the hilt of the sword; and the mallet. So that's what he hit him with. He was slightly taller than Trunks, give or take, an inch to three inches. "Don't you know?" he sneered. "You _know_ who I am. And what I'm here for." Trunks didn't understand, he didn't know who this kid was. He began to feel very uneasy, "What are you _talking_ about? I've never you in my life before today!" The boy's green eyes flared bright, "You know a part of me, the boy said darkly, "but you don't know the rest of me. You also know _what_ I am. You've met one just like me. How else can you explain your being, 'familiar', shall we say, with me?" "What do you _mean_ by that?" Trunks' voice was hitting a high note, "Must I _spell_ it out for you _Trunks_?" He now stood over Trunks, who was still on the floor. Trunks knew at his tone he had best keep quiet; he might answer it later. "As far as what I want from you...well its obvious; to see you die by _my_ hands. Just like your friend." Trunks now felt numb, "But why? Why Goten?" Trunks asked, his voice quivering, "Why did you kill him? He had nothing to do with you trying to kill _me_!" The boy smirked, "He was your shadow. He would've tried to stop me sooner, had I let him live to get in my way." "So you mimic _my_ voice and lure him to his death. He was an easy target for you." He smiled a cruel smile, "Of course he was. He was a simple, and simple-minded, child. Rather amusing to watch what kind of messes he gets himself into. You and I both know that though, don't we?" "Yes, but..." "But what? You baka. You think I don't know about your little fusion technique? I wasn't about to let that ruin my plans. My revenge on you! I don't need distractions like him to get in my way." "_Why _are you plotting revenge on _me_?" Trunks nearly wailed. "I don't _understand..._" A sudden painful hit over the head with the mallet shut him up. "You stole my brother from me so I decided to steal yours." the boy said simply, "How does it feel..._brother_?" It suddenly hit him; he _did_ know him, but didn't, "No...no it can't be... Tapion's brother? You? But how...?" he could hardly comprehend who he was looking at was Tapion's brother, "Don't you _ever_ take the title of **Brother** lightly, _boy_. You must now suffer because you didn't die when you supposed to. I'm going to make your death slow and painful instead of quick like I had intended. But I can wait for a long time, _boy_." These words were the last words Trunks heard before his world went dark.

He awoke the next morning with his entire body aching hotly. He opened his eyes to see that he was still lying on the floor. Then he felt the skull-splitting headache from where Tapion's little brother had hit him. "Talk about beating a guy when he's down..." he muttered sitting up. That proved to be a big mistake. He got dizzy and fell back down. He decided to lay there until the world quit spinning and his head to stop hurting so much. He needed some aspirin. Lots of it. Maybe it'll calm his nerves a little bit. It was nearly two hours later before he felt that he could get up to go to the bathroom. He was shocked when he looked at himself in the mirror. The bruises around his neck were cruelly visible underneath the light and he could see a lump rising from the back of his head. Man, mother's going to have a fit. he knew. He got back in bed careful not to lay on his back. _You know part of me, but you don't know the rest of me, I don't understand what you _meanIn his mind he was replaying the events of last night._ You know a part of me... _"what does that mean?" Trunks wondered aloud. His eyes opened wide in sudden realization. _He meant that Trunks knew his brother, but didn't know anything about him! _"God I feel stupid. I can't believe I didn't understand that last night." But what about the rest of it? He couldn't see how he had stolen his brother. He knew for sure that he hadn't done such a thing. _You stole my brother so I decided to steal yours. So how does it feel..._brotherTrunks pondered on this thought a moment._ I stole yours... _Trunks gulped. _Does that mean the pain I'm going through is the same as his...? _Another thought occurred to him._ He must've been watching Trunks and his older brother get along like old pals. He must've seen it all... Me befriending him. Tapion giving his sword to me as a gift before leaving. Oh shit, it all fits now. The guy feels like he's been replaced by _me_. And now he's out to get me out of the way, so that I won't be here to act as the replacement. _His pain, turned to fear. He knew that Tapion's brother could kill him; he had already came dangerously close into succeeding once. He matched Trunks in power and brains. He was an older boy he had noticed last night. At least he looked older; about ten judging by the height. Two years older. _Great. T_runks never got out of bed that day, claiming he wasn't feeling well. No one denied him the privilege. His mother made him take some awful tasting medicine and he slept all day. He woke back up late that night, got up to get water then into bed again. He looked over at the sword--only to realize that it was gone. Tapion's brother had taken it.  
Trunks jumped up instantly. _How dare he! He had no right into taking what was now rightfully his!_ He had to get it back. But where to start? The answer to that question was obvious: the Son's property. He put on his gi and went out through his window. He got about half way to the Son's house before something happened. Tapion's brother came out of nowhere knocking him out of the air. He landed hard as the land came rushing up to meet him. "Argh, that bastard!" He had been outwitted--_again!_ He was beginning to get frustrated. He got up, "Give me back that sword!" he screamed up Tapion's little brother. The Konatsion scowled, "Why should I give to _you_? You can't even hold it right, much less use it. I've seen you do disgracefully with it. So tell me why should I give it to a half-bred _Earthling_ like you?" he finished, landing in front of him. Trunks was boiling. "Why don't we see?" "Yes, why don't we? the boy smirked, "Let's see you take it and slay me." Using after image Trunks easily snatched the sword from his hand. With a look of victory, Trunks appeared behind him. The older boy turned to look at him. Trunks yanked out the sword out of its sheathe but he only got that far. The sword and the sheathe went flying from his hands. "Too slow. Try again." his opponent snapped. "Or is that it?" Trunks gasped disbelieving at his empty hands. He hadn't seen him pull out his sword and swipe his off clean from his hands. It was nothing but a blur. He never had a chance to use it... "Now Trunks. You DIE!" He ran at Trunks with incredible speed. Just as he moved the sword, his punches were the same: a blur. He fisted him into a nearby river and he sank to the bottom. He instantly got out of the freezing water, shaking. _God it was soo coold..._ He managed to crawl some distance before Tapion's brother put his foot down on his head. "Before you die, I would like you to know that the name's _Minosha_. Get it?" Trunks couldn't answer with his face in the dirt. He suddenly felt intense pressure weighing down on his head. His whole world was instantly awash with nothing but crushing pain. He couldn't budge. He yelled in pain. Apparently, Minosha didn't think he was yelling loud enough and pressed down on Trunks' head harder. That got the result. He pressed down harder until tears came to Trunks' eyes. The pain was too much to bear anymore. Trunks thought he heard something crack inside his skull. Without realizing what he was doing his mind screamed for Tapion._ Tapion! Please, help me! Your brother he's--_ "Quit calling to him fool. He cannot hear you from the past." Trunks' cries soon became weak and hoarse, his world going darker. He gratefully went the rest of the way. Away from the pain.

Tapion stepped out into the morning sun. _Ah, it feels good to see the sun again. _he thought. The sun had not peeked through the clouds in days it seemed. He could take it easy today. He leaned against a tree planning to meditate. He never meditated long, with so much going on, it was almost dangerous to. He soon lapsed into the calm of meditation. In his mind there was nothing but a dead calm silence. Then suddenly booming out of nowhere came Trunks' call: **_Tapion! Your brother, he's--_** then it was gone, like the connection was snapped in two. Tapion had felt the pain and pressure that Trunks' had been in but only in a vague way. That meant one of two things: One, that Trunks had been killed, or Two, he was blocked from calling. Tapion snapped out of meditation. Whatever reason he called so desperately, it didn't sound good. Tapion didn't know how Trunks linked with him from so far away but it didn't matter. The boy needed him--and desperately. He got the capsule out of his pocket and opened it to reveal the Time Machine. He jumped in and set the coordinates, not wasting any time.

He landed on Earth 1,000 years later (In real time, an hour later.). He climbed out of the capsule pressing the button to make the Time Machine go back in the capsule. "Thank you Bulma." he said to himself as he put the capsule back in his pocket. He looked around. "Hmm... something is wrong here. I can feel it. Some evil has been done." He flew up to get a better view. God it was cold here. _It must be late fall,_ he thought. _Or the middle of winter_. He had on a gi meant for warm weather. He created a black coat and put on over him, pulling the hood over his head. It felt much warmer now. Far away he saw the river was frozen solid at least a foot deep. Its a wonder he wasn't frozen too with such fair complexion. The land looked the dead of winter. No grass or anything grew this time of year. There seemed to be no life here. Trunks... he could not feel the boy's life force. Had he come too late? No. He must not give up so easily. He concentrated harder trying to find him. Very faintly he picked up someone's ki down river. He flew as fast he could to it, hoping he was not too late. A minute later he landed near the mouth of the river. His green eyes searched the river's banks as he flew over also keeping alert for any sort of life that might be out in this cold. He felt it again faintly but very close. Suddenly, he saw him. Trunks lay on the opposite bank stripped down to nothing but his boxers. "Trunks!" he leaped over to the opposite bank next to Trunks. His skin was nearly the same color as his lavender-colored hair. He was also bonded tightly. "Trunks? Speak to me!" all the response he got was a twitch from Trunks eyelids and a quick gasp. "My god who did this to you boy?" He ripped off the bonds from his wrists and arms. It was a wonder the boy was even alive at all. Tapion's mind instantly knew that whoever did this had a personal reason. Quite frankly he was horrified that someone would even do this. After getting the bonds off he could see cuts where the bonds had been. He had been bonded so tightly he couldn't have possibly moved. Taking the blue cloth from around his neck, he used as a kind of blanket to cover Trunks in. Tapion knew the boy might not live much longer.

He picked him up and took him back home. He arrived a few minutes later knocking at the door. Another minute ticked by before a grouchy Vegeta answered the door. He didn't like late-night visitors. He opened the door to see a man dressed in black holding his son in his arms. His hood was pulled up over his head. It reminded him of a childish imagery of the boogy man or something. "Vegeta may I came in?" asked the man. That voice sounded familiar. "Yeah," he said gruffly letting them inside. "What are doing with my son?" he asked, shutting the door. "Do you have any heating blankets?" asked the man, completely ignoring Vegeta's question. "Why are you...?" "Stop asking questions and just get one!" the man snapped. Had Vegeta been more awake he would have punched the guy's lights out right then. He got a heating blanket and gave it to him. "Thank you." He removed the cloth and put the heating blanket over Trunks. During the transition Vegeta could see Trunks, who was nearly naked, cut up, and looked of death. It scared him, "My son...what did you do to him?" Vegeta asked nearly blind with anger, "I found him this way, down by the river, except he was bound tight." Vegeta eyes grew wide with fury mixed with fear, "_What_?" The man turned to him, taking off his hood at last, "Vegeta do you know of anyone...anyone at all that might do this to Trunks?" he asked seriously. Vegeta's usually dark face paled. "Tapion...?" his face returned to its normal color, "No. Not that I know of. At least not anyone who is as strong as himself." Vegeta's mind was in a whirlwind. " But Tapion how did you get back here? How did you know that Trunks was in danger?" Tapion was still sort of confused of how he heard Trunks' call from so far away. "I came back by Bulma's Time Machine. I'm not sure how your son did it, but he called for me." Vegeta was silent. Inside he was glad that Tapion had come so quickly. _He really cares about my son..._ And to think that Trunks had a nightmare that Tapion would kill him! Speaking of which... "You know," Vegeta began, "Trunks had a dream about you soon after you left." Tapion raised an eyebrow, "Really?" He could tell by the tone and look that Vegeta had spoke that Trunks had had a nightmare. "He had one hell of bad dream. He woke up screaming his head off. Bulma was away for the night so I went to check on him. I found him curled in fetal position, in the corner of the bed with his finger in his mouth. I'll be straight with you Tapion: That spooked me pretty bad. I had never seen the boy look so afraid in my life." Vegeta took a deep breath, "And you know what he told me? "What?" Tapion asked feeling a sense of dread. "He said 'My own brother tried to kill me...At least I _think_ it was him..." Tapion sat in silence, feeling numb all over. _He couldn't have possibly meant... _He looked over to Trunks to see how he was faring. A lot better, he noted. His skin had turned its original color and he was really sleeping, breathing deeply. Trunks shifted uncomfortably under the heated blanket. Tapion took it off and put a lighter sheet on. _I'm going to find out who did this to you Trunks._ Tapion vowed, _I swear it. _

Minosha scowled at this latest development. Minosha sat near the furnace in the basement of the Brief's house. So Trunks somehow to called Tapion here...Hmm. This might ruin his plans after all. He had already tossed the mallet elsewhere seeing that he didn't need it anymore. He knew he only had one more chance to kill that stupid bitch. He'd to kill him once and for all then deal with that double-crossing brother of his. _You saved him once Tapion. I'll make sure that you can't save him a second time. _Ah yes. Revenge can be so sweet. There, he waited patiently for the right time to strike...

Trunks awoke in the guest room, feeling sick to his stomach. He still felt cold and painful all over. He looked at the cuts on his wrists. That only brought back the terrifying memories. He remembered Minosha tying him up. He did it so tightly he couldn't move, the binds cutting into his skin. He didn't remembered that his clothes had been taken off. He looked down at himself to see he was in an oversized blue shirt he slept in. He remembered the frigid water as he was tossed in like trash. But...how did he get here? He vaguely heard his father talking to someone outside but he couldn't hear what they were saying. "I'm going to check on him," he heard someone say suddenly right outside the door. The door opened and Trunks instantly thought it was Minosha coming after him again. He instantly jumped up forgetting he was on the bed. His feet got tangled up and he fell off. He didn't fall far before a pair of hands caught him and sat him back on the bed. Trunks didn't want to look to see who it was. He was afraid to. "Trunks, its only me." the voice said. "Yeah right. You're probably just mimicking your brother's voice so that you can kill me the minute I look up." "Trunks what are you _talking_ about? Its me. Tapion." Finally Trunks had to look up. He saw the friendly green eyes of his brother Tapion. He could only moan, "I hope this is no magic being played on me." "Trust me buddy, its not." he said. Trunks eyes suddenly welled up again. He could hardly believe who was right there in front of him, "Oh Tapion! I'm so glad you're here! Its been so _awful..._" the little boy threw his arms around Tapion's neck, happy to see him. Trunks didn't how Tapion got there but he didn't care. He was there with him now. Tapion was glad to see the little boy was happy to see him but he was bothered by what he first said. _You're probably just mimicking your brother's voice so that you can kill me the minute I look up... _Oh god it wasn't true was it? "Trunks who did this to you?" he asked pointing to the where the binds had cut him. Trunks looked down. He was almost afraid to tell Tapion that his own little brother had done this to him. That he wanted him dead. "Trunks? I have to know," "Your own brother." he said quietly. Tapion's eyes went wide for a second, "Are you sure?" The boy nodded miserably. "My own brother wouldn't do anything like this to anyone." "Oh, then how do you explain this?" he raised his hand showing a thinly carved symbol on it. "Oh lord," Tapion muttered as he looked at it. He knew the symbol. It meant death in their language. In the middle of the symbol in Konatsion alphabet was the letter M. Tapion felt sick. His brother left that mark for the big fish he killed. Or thought he had killed. There was no denying that it was his brother now. Trunks put his hand down. "Trunks what has been going on around here? Why is he after you?" "I don't _know_. He says that I stole you from him. So he decided to take Goten away from _me_. It seemed like he wanted me to suffer like he was suffering... But I don't know why he's so angry about us being friends..."

"Goten was a like a brother to you. He saw that and got rid of him, but why?" "To get revenge on me. He said Goten would've interrupted in his plan to kill me. That he was a nuisance that he wasn't going to let live." _My God my brother is more devious than I thought! _Another terrible thought occurred to him. "Trunks I think my brother's been watching us from Other World. He must've seen everything... and got bitterly jealous..." "Oh, Tapion don't say that! I don't want to get between you and your brother and yet... I have." "Its not your fault Trunks. Nor is it mine. I didn't realize how mad he would get. What's worse, as I now recollect, I had _promised_ him that I would give him the sword I had when he was old enough." Tapion's face was near Trunks' now, "A thing you must understand Trunks, is that Minosha never knew his parents. He has grown up without them. He only has me for family." Trunks only stared, "I...I had no idea..." Trunks whispered in shock. He now suddenly felt sorry for Minosha. "I had to virtually raise him from the day he was born. I guess he got sorta of clingy and protective of me. I just never realized how badly he wanted to keep us together from outside interferences." "Has he acted like this with other people?" asked Trunks, hoping that he hadn't been the only one. "No. You're the first. I supposed he feared that he would be replaced by you in my heart."  
They fell silent. Trunks had no idea what kind of life Minosha had grown up in. He couldn't imagine what it was like to not know what his mother or father even looked like. The thought of it was a lonely one. He felt that he finally knew the major sources of Minosha's pain. But that still didn't change the fact that Minosha had tried to kill him--twice. "Can't you try to talk to him Tapion? Try to _reason_ with him?" Tapion sighed. "I don't know. He may not even listen to me in the state he's in. I just hope that he'll get wise and listen to his own brother." Tapion sighed again, a tired sigh, "For now though you go to sleep Trunks. I'll be in the next room if you need me." Trunks quickly climbed back in bed pulling the covers up to his chin. By the time Tapion reached the door, the boy was fast asleep.

It was several days later and Trunks' wounds healed up. With Tapion there, he felt a lot safer than he had been in the past three days. There had been no sign of Tapion's brother since Tapion had come back. "He must've got scared and ran off," Trunks had said one day. "I don't think so. He's not going to stay away forever Trunks. He _will_ come back. It would be better to be prepared for him." The boy nodded, taking Tapion's advice. Trunks trained hard for the next few days while Tapion watched him. Why Tapion didn't train _with_ him, Trunks didn't know. He figured that Tapion was coming up with his own strategies. He knew his brother very well. But Minosha knew Tapion just as well. That's what bothered Trunks. He was afraid that Minosha would outsmart his brother and still get to him. Minosha had a terrible tendency to make people fear him.

A shadow crept up the stairs coming from the furnace room. It started down the hallway, searching every door way it came to. Eventually pale moonlight fell upon the figure, revealing the deadly unsheathed blade that Minosha carried. It shined cruelly in the moon's light as if the sword itself had life its own and knew that its holder was going to slay that night. And by God he was going to slay _somebody_. His shadow passed by Trunks' door. There was a faint snap of the lock being undone by magic. He stepped through the door. To his delight he saw that Trunks was still sound asleep. Nothing made a sound in the house except for his breathing and his faint steps as he drew closer to Trunks' bed. He played at the edges of the blade. He decided he'd better do a sleep spell so that Trunks wouldn't give him away should he wake up. He would most likely. Like he did when he was released from the oracle to find death when he awoke. He pulled back the blade grabbing the front of Trunks' oversized shirt. "Now, Trunks... You had better die this time!" he growled. The sword dropped down aiming for his heart.  
A familiar blade came up under Minosha's neck making him stop his deadly weapon from going any further. "Brother its not what it looks like." Minosha said knowing that he had been caught, "Shut it boy. I know what it looks like: its looks to me that you are trying kill him." His younger brother glared at him, "Release him," Tapion threatened, "Or I'll be forced to cut your throat." To his surprise his brother only sneered at him, "You think you can beat _me_? Under any other circumstances I would be happy to see you, but you've clearly interrupted me." "_Clearly_," Tapion muttered dryly. "Clearly gone _mad_! I said to release him!" "Fine, you whiney bitch, if you want me to so bad." That statement stabbed through Tapion's heart. Minosha finally let go of Trunks. He was powering up. Tapion could suddenly feel his power. _My God how did the boy get so strong? He's as strong as Trunks now. I'm not any match for him and he knows it. _Minosha suddenly slammed into Tapion full-force making him fall through the wall; Trunks fell off the bed. They both recovered from the collision ready to fight it out. Minosha drew out his sword and his brother did like-wise. "I was willing to negotiate with you _Brother,_ but you leave me no choice."

"Same goes here!" his younger brother practically snarled. Their swords clashed in the air. Minosha was showing immense improvements from the last time that Tapion had fought sword-to-sword with him. There was no doubt that Minosha might become better than him as a swordsman. But Minosha often forgot he was dealing with a master swordsman who was also related to him. To his surprise Tapion's sword was suddenly swiped from his hands cleanly. He had seen nothing but a blur. "Heh, didn't expect that did you?" his brother mocked. Using his energy Tapion brought the sword back into his hands, ready to kill him if he must. "No," he admitted, "but not bad for someone like you." His brother continued to smirk. What was he up to? "I've just recently learned a new move. Care to see what it'll do to you?" "Can't wait," he remarked dryly. His brother's evil grin only grew wider. He suddenly realized he shouldn't have said it so quickly. Minosha sword glowed a bluish light filling with magic. He pulled the sword over his head. "_Soul Separation!_" Minosha shouted. The sword glowed brighter as he swung down with all his might. A blue streak of magic headed at him. He dodged it easily but he soon realized that was a mistake. Trunks was awake and behind him. Good place; good time. Minosha thought. Trunks was ready for it though. He transformed SSJ using his energy to absorb the magic. "Trunks don't!" Tapion called out. He knew that energy wouldn't absorb it. It would go right through. His worst fears were soon realized. The magic passed through his defenses hitting the boy right through his middle. The look of shock came to his face as he reverted back to normal, collapsing. "I. Finally. Got. You!" Minosha crowed in sheer delight. Trunks tried to get back up but was suddenly in pain. He could feel something inside of him trying to come out. "What did you do?" Tapion shouted at his younger brother. Minosha didn't answer; he was enjoying watching Trunks' pain as his spirit, his very life, being yanked away from him. He knew Trunks had a strong will; it might take a little longer to work. Trunks' back suddenly seemed to be engulfed in blue flames. "Aah, no!" Tapion heard him say. "Trunks!" he shouted to him helplessly. He didn't know what to do! He had never seen this magic before. He didn't know how to reverse it. Trunks let a scream before Tapion saw/sensed his spirit forced out. His face turned a deathly gray as he finally collapsed. His spirit rose into the air, preparing to leave the mortal realm. "Noo!" he cried as he saw it. He turned to glare at his brother who only smiled as he finally got his revenge. He would have to kill Minosha. He had left him no choice. Minosha returned his brother's glare, "Care to join him? Or should we negotiate a deal?" "Bah!" Tapion spat disgusted, "I can't believe what I hear from you! After what you have done, I'd _rather_ not!" "Had it been that little brat who did what I've done would you have negotiated with him?" he asked icily. That stopped Tapion cold, for he felt a stab of guilt. He _would_ have been more willing to negotiating with Trunks. His silence only proved it in his brother's eyes. "I can't believe you! After all the times I've saved your life this is how you treat your own brother? I see that you will never accept me as your brother. So now..." he brought up his sword again which was still shimmering with blue magic, "Go and join your 'brother!" Before Minosha had time to swing down and call out his new attack, Tapion punched him in the gut knocking Minosha off balance. He laced his hands together making a double fist, knocking him down as hard as he could. He looked up to see that Trunks' spirit was no longer visible. He could still sense it though. He still had a little time. He flew up trying to catch up with Trunks' spirit before it disappeared forever.

Minosha got up. "That double-crossing bitch." he muttered angrily, "I'll get him for that! Now where is he?" He looked up to see Tapion disappearing beyond his sight. _He was trying to get Trunks' spirit to come back. _"So he thinks he can eh? Well I'll show him once and for all. That he can't bring him back." He flew up with his new speed that he had grown to like. He had flown up high into the Earth's atmosphere before he realized that he had not seen or sensed Tapion anywhere near him. "Forgot about me?" Tapion asked grabbing his brother from behind, "What? You!" Tapion had been hiding within the clouds masking his ki. Tapion flew down at top speed. He sent him crashing into the ground. Tapion stood there waiting. Minosha slowly got up, _How How is this possible? He's as strong as me all of a sudden! _"You know _'brother'_... I can keep this up for awhile." Tapion said. Only it wasn't Tapion; not completely. He heard Trunks' voice speaking at the same time. Then it hit him like a bolt of lightening. _That bastard! He's using the power from Trunks' spirit to beat me! _"You just do that then; Trunks' will die." Tapion/Trunks smirked, "I know that. That's why I plan to beat you before that happens." Minosha growled. "Bitches, both of you. I must admit Tapion that was a clever trick to pull. _Now_ we can actually fight." He didn't get a chance to say anymore when a ki blast hit him from behind knocking him to the ground. Tapion looked behind where Minosha had stood to see Vegeta scowling. "Can't believe it was that bastard all along! Tapion you should've said that it was your brother causing all this hell."

Tapion/Trunks was silent. Minosha suddenly jumped up launching himself at Vegeta but didn't go very far before Tapion's fist came down on his head, knocking his brother out cold. "Now hurry up and destroy him!" Vegeta commanded. Tapion didn't move. "No," he said at last. "I cannot." "Why not?" Vegeta demanded. "He is still my brother. Besides, I think I still help him." "Tapion have you gone absolutely mad? He's killed my son! And you say you won't kill him, even now?" There was no doubt that Vegeta was enraged. As far as thinking that his son was dead; that was a misinterpretation. His son was not dead--not yet. Not while his spirit remained in Tapion. Trunks was longing to get back inside his own body before his actually body cells started dying.

"Vegeta, your son is not dead," he said just above a whisper, "What? Tapion your voice it's..." Tapion/Trunks chuckled a double chuckle, "Two voices instead of one? Its weird I know. Its not any different from when fusing with Goten." Vegeta abruptly looked back at his son lying the ground, beginning to comprehend... Tapion walked over to Trunks' body. He put his hand over Trunks chest and passed his energy to him. Or least that's what it looked like. Trunks' spirit was being put back where it belonged. Inside himself. The color returned to Trunks' face as his own spirit seeped back into his being. At last, with a groan, Trunks opened his eyes to see Tapion just sitting there exhausted from effort. A little farther off he saw his father. Farther still he saw Minosha laying on the ground. He looked back at his friend, "Tapion? You didn't kill him...did you?" Tapion looked over to his brother, "No. I'm going to have a talk with him when he gets up." He snapped his fingers and Minosha disappeared. "What happened?" Trunks asked, looking at Tapion with an almost horrified expression, "Where did you...?" "In the middle of the desert where Buu is." Tapion explained, "I told him if he sees Minosha trying to get away, to sit on him until I can talk to him." Trunks laughed. Almost. Had Tapion not been so serious he would've let his laughter loose. He heard his father smirk. "Well, it serves him right to sat on I suppose." "Tapion what kind of an attack was that? The technique he did? I've never felt nothing like that in my life..." Tapion did not answer; instead he messed with Trunks hair playfully, "Hopefully you will never have to feel that again Trunks." he assured his young friend. For the first time since Tapion had arrived, Trunks giggled.

Tapion left soon after that, leaving Trunks alone with his father. They had went back inside, out of cold, only then they were beginning to feel. Never in his life had Vegeta appreciated his son more than he did at that moment. And to say Trunks was an damned accident was wrong; he turned out to be a very good accident. They sat there awhile holding each other. Trunks knew that his father might not ever do this again, so he just enjoyed the moment for all it was worth. He had never felt closer to his father...since..._ever_. It had been all of Tapion's doing. And that...he was grateful to have a friend like him.

Buu lived in the desert far away from any civilization. He was awaiting the six months so that the Z-fighters could make the wish to wipe the people's memory of Buu. It was night in the desert; only a single lantern lit the oasis that Buu lived in. At the present moment though, Buu was having trouble keeping a rather noisy little being pinned down. "Little Spiky," he had come to call him. This new nickname insulted the younger Konatsion. Buu was literally sitting on him like Tapion had wanted him to. Buu dare not hurt him though; he was under strict orders not to. "You fat pink son-of-a-bitch!" Minosha screamed, "Get off me this minute!" "But Buu under strict orders not to let Little Spiky go." said Buu in his child-like voice. "Who? Tapion? He's a fool if he thinks you can sit on me all night! And I told you not to call me Little Spiky!" "Okay, 'Little Spiky." said Buu happily. Minosha's anger flared as he tried to push Buu off of him, but of course that was futile; Buu was just too damn fat. "Don't hurt yourself Little Spiky. Buu's not hurting you." "You are so!" Minosha raged on, "You are crushing me! And you tell _me_ you're not hurting me?" Buu was still puzzled about why Little Spiky did what he did. "Buu no understand one thing though. Why do you hurt?" Minosha stopped struggling, "What?" "Why do you hurt your brother when he's done nothing to you? That is wrong." Buu pointed out. "He _has_ done something to me! He has replaced me with Trunks!" "Buu don't think so." he said quietly. "What in the hell makes you think that?" Minosha demanded, "He is your brother. Nothing can change that. I know he is not that bad of a man. He cares for you very very much." Minosha was silent. "If he didn't," Buu continued, "He could've told me to kill you. But he didn't." "Why is he keeping me alive then?" Tapion's brother mumbled, "Says he wants to talk with you." Minosha snorted in disgust, "Yeah right. That's all he ever wants to do is talk. Then kill. He doesn't deserve me. He can have Trunks as his new little brother." Tapion finally spoke up from the shadows, "I don't want Trunks for a brother Minosha. I just want _you_ as my brother. Can't you at least accept that that is what I want? I don't want Trunks to come between us Brother." "Well he has." Minosha said dryly. Tapion came into full view, his face worried, "He didn't get between us intentionally. You and I both know that. Most of all, _he_ knows that. He hates that he's come between us." "I hope he does. Maybe it'll keep him from stealing someone else's brother." Tapion was silent. He could now see how much his brother was really hurting on the inside. "I told him about your past," Tapion said, "WHAT?" his brother nearly screamed; Buu winced. "Why in the hell did you tell him Tapion!" His brother was barely fazed by his younger siblings outrage, "The boy needed to know. Minosha, he does not hate you. He pities you." "Well, he needs to stop pitying me!" Minosha grumbled. "Go away and leave me alone. Both of you. AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, TELL BUU TO GET OFF OF ME!"

Trunks was surprised to see Tapion the next morning; he had worried that Tapion might not come back until much later. Tapion seemed to preoccupied with last night's events. Had he killed his own brother after all? Or had he been able to talk to him? He needed to get him alone so that he could ask him. He found his opportunity later that day. Tapion was outside in the backyard where they had played when Bulma had been building the oracle. He was deep in thought but Trunks found this the perfect opportunity to ask him. He ran outside. Tapion cocked back his ear letting Trunks know that he aware of his presence; he didn't turn around. Trunks knew that Tapion was listening, "Tapion. Hey um, listen..." "Trunks," Tapion said at the same time turning, "I already know what you are wanting to ask me. Its written as clear as day on your face. I didn't kill my brother. I managed to talk to him but now he won't speak to me." Trunks started; he didn't think that Tapion had noticed, "Why? Do you think _I_ could go talk to him? Or do you think that'll be too dangerous?" "I don't why he won't speak to me... but no. Don't go see him yet. Even though he wishes your presence, he asked that you come when _you_ are ready to." "Where is he at? The desert?" Tapion nodded, "I'm going with you just in case. Just give yourself some time to think, then when you're ready, we'll go."

Tapion pondered himself on what to do. His brother stopped speaking to him soon after their conversation. He dearly hoped that his brother was not going into a depression; he gave the impression that he was slipping into one. He had told Buu to watch him; he was no longer worried that Minosha might run off. Buu agreed. Minosha had heard this. "He better not sit me again! Or I'll come and rip you to pieces!" he had threatened. Tapion chuckled. "And don't sit on him Buu. I'm pretty sure he's not wanting to go anywhere for the time being." Buu looked over Minosha thoughtfully. Minosha had planted himself near the edge of the oasis. "Okay. Buu won't." agreed Buu. Tapion thanked the obese warrior. Minosha hadn't moved by the time Tapion left.

Tapion was watching Trunks sleep now. The boy had come so close to death; not once, not twice, but three times. Apparently somebody from the heavens was watching over him. he thought. The boy finally looked at peace. Tapion knew that he wasn't; Trunks was alone now, his friend stripped away from him. Perhaps forever.  
Vegeta was rather quiet during these next few days. Tapion knew that he was angry that he didn't kill his brother, but he didn't care. He knew other solutions than to kill. It was a long and agonizing three days before Trunks felt that he was ready. Tapion could tell by looking at him. "You ready?" Trunks sighed, "As ready as I'll ever be." A few minutes they headed out to the desert.

Minosha still sat in the same place when he sensed his brother return with Trunks. _Took them long enough_. he thought without opening his eyes. _Only three_ fucking _days! Oh well. There's nothing that can be done about that. _He still didn't open his eyes, let alone move, when Trunks and Tapion landed near him. "How is he?" Tapion asked Buu. quietly, "Not good." Buu said gravely, "Little Spiky hasn't moved at all. I tried to get him to eat but he refused the food." Tapion grew worried. It wasn't like him not to eat. Trunks hadn't heard them; for he was already walking towards Minosha. No doubt he feared him to a degree, but Minosha was still a kid. It was eerie to see Minosha look so still; he looked as though he turned himself into a statue. Like Hildagarn had once been. The only sign he showed that he was alive was the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. He looked back to see Tapion still with Buu. They both were watching him. He was alone to talk to Minosha. _Minosha must've asked that he was to talk to me alone. _Trunks thought. _Why else would Tapion hang back? _Minosha still hadn't moved when Trunks stepped up to him.

Trunks waited for him to say something but he didn't utter a word. Was he waiting for Trunks? He just wished that one of them would start a conversation with the other. Minosha didn't seem to know he was even there. _Great. Now Minosha hates me so much he won't even acknowledge my presence. _Trunks was almost ready to give up but something compelled him to stay. He felt that he was waiting for something to happen; or else he was forming the words of what he was going to say to him. Whatever the reason, the two boys with completely different lives who came from different worlds, just sat there in silence for a few moments. Reflecting what they were going to say. The whole thing seemed to taking an eternity to take place, but it had only been a space of two minutes before either of them said anything.  
Finally Trunks was the first the speak. "Minosha--" "Trunks," Minosha said at the same time standing up. "I know what you are going to say. Don't." Trunks was stunned. Minosha looked over at him and continued, "It's me who should apologize. I'm sorry for being such an ass. I'm not used to...uh...people connecting to my brother the way you did. I've been a fool, and there is only one way I can make it up to you." "Huh? How?" Minosha raised his hand lighting up as he did so. Muttering a foreign tongue Trunks never heard of, the light from his hand grew brighter. Far away this same light covered the body of a child, restoring it to life. After this was done, Minosha put his hand down, seemly exhausted. "What did you do?" "You will see soon. No doubt he will come here. Now there is one final thing that you must do..." he suddenly pulled his sword from its sheathe.

Trunks eyes widened. "Minosha you're not..." Minosha's face was set in determined stare as his green eyes burned into Trunks'. "You must. There is no other way." "I can't! You've been given a second life Minosha! You--" "I only live because I told Shenron to bring me back to life--here. So that I could have my revenge. But I realize that it was a waste. To take my revenge on you was the only reason I wanted to come back. I have ruined myself to have any sort of a second life. I should've stayed dead after Hildagarn crushed me under his foot. The only thing I can do now is to have you, Trunks Briefs, is to kill me." "No...I can't..." he whispered backing away. He was literally having flashbacks of when Tapion had asked him to kill him before Hildagarn escaped. "You have to. I'm the one who caused you to go through the pain I've gone through. You don't deserve it. Now take the sword and kill me." After some hesitation from Trunks, he felt the sword being taken from his hand. He lowered himself under Trunks leaving himself completely open. All Trunks had to do was swing.

But Trunks was afraid to do it. He didn't want to kill him. The whole thing was so wrong. So _unfair_. He could hardly stand it. He suddenly felt Tapion's eyes on him and he looked up to see him giving him the silent look to go ahead. Somehow that one look gave him some courage. Just the same his eyes welled up. He rose the sword above his head. Trunks saw Minosha relax; he knew then that this is what Minosha wanted. It was his decision. Squeezing his eyes shut he swung down with all his might. There was no cry of pain or any tears that the older boy had shed as the sword cut through his body as his very being was scattered and broken into millions of pieces, forever disappearing from the mortal realm. When Trunks felt it was over, the sword fell from his hand as he collapsed and wept. He didn't feel proud at all. He wished someone else had done it. _Oh, why did it have to be me? Why did Minosha have to choose me to kill him? And Tapion... How could he let me? It was his brother. I never... _He continued to weep as Tapion walked over to him. He didn't hear him come up. Tapion picked the boy up and just held him. He knew it was hard on everyone who had to go through with it. He had to go through it once himself. He admired the boy's courage.

"Its takes a lot of courage to do what you did." he said quietly. "Is that what true courage is Tapion? Trunks asked tearfully, "It didn't feel like courage; it felt like it was being cowardly. He had a _chance_ Tapion. He could've lived a second life! And he didn't take it..." "He realized it was too late to fix most of everything." Tapion explained, "Besides Trunks, it was _his_ choice. He's old enough to make that kind of decision on his own." "He was still a kid!" Trunks practically yelled, "He still had time to..." he said choking back a sob. He hated that Tapion was acting so calm about this. "He was your brother. Wouldn't you want him to be alive?" "Of course I would! He knew like I did that I would be able to go on without him if he should die and vise versa. You mustn't worry about me Trunks. I can go on without him. Same with you. You will grieve for your friend, but you'll get over it. In time." They both sat there in silence as Trunks' cry quieted.

No one noticed that the sword shimmered in blue light; except Buu. Buu came up closer to examine it. "Buu what is it?" Tapion asked. "The sword is making a pretty light." "Huh?" "Really?" both Trunks and Tapion asked at once. They both looked to see the sword just as it was; there was no light emitting from it. "Are you sure Buu?" Tapion asked. He put Trunks down and he went over to it. _It couldn't be...could it?_ He picked up the sword and the same blue aura returned. "Oh crap," Tapion muttered as he saw what Buu was trying to tell him. "Wha...What's going on? This light can't possibly mean..." Hey Trunks. Minosha's voice spoke up suddenly in his mind, Don't be so surprised. I haven't gone far. "WHAT? Where ARE you?" he cried trying to find the source of his voice. In the sword, where else? "What...? In the sword... but how?" It's a tad complex for you to understand. Oh look. Here comes someone I know you will be glad to see. "What?" Trunks looked around everywhere. In the sky you dope. Look up and to the north. "I don't know which way north is!" Oh, yeah. I forgot you don't know Your directions very well yet. Turn completely around then. He did as 'the sword' told him. He had a feeling if Minosha had his physical body he would've had a smug look as he said this. To his great shock and surprise he saw Goten completely healed--and alive, flying toward him. "Trunks!" he called happily. "Goten? Oh Goten!" Heh, I told you would be happy to see him. Didn't believe me did you? "Why? How...?" I thought it was the last good deed I could do for you. Are you satisfied? "You didn't have to do that..." Ah, but I did it just the same. Trunks. I do have a guilty conscious, you know. And Brother, you know I hear you chuckling right? "So?" Tapion said smugly. He honestly thought this turn of events was funny. He didn't expect it for one. But it pleased him. "I don't know exactly you 'hear' me but...who cares? You shock me sometimes Minosha. I'd never thought you'd have your own spirit in your sword." Well I'm just a shocker. **ZAP!** "Hey! Ow! That hurt!" Trunks cried out angrily. He could hear Minosha laughing in his head. Sorry. I didn't mean it quite so literally but I couldn't resist that one. During all this, Goten was looking at Trunks in confusion. Trunks seemed to have gone mad. And seeing Tapion there made things even more confusing. "Hey have you people forgotten about me?" He suddenly yelled. Everyone froze in silence. No. I know I haven't. Your shouting is an ill reminder. "Hey who said that?" Goten wondered, "Goten its best not to ask. You wouldn't want to know." Trunks said. Even though Goten was seven years old and seemingly stupid, he eventually figured out who it was. After a long talk he finally regained control of himself (he had pitched quite a fit during this). They eventually left Buu in the desert and headed on home. When his son finally came home Vegeta took him in his arms somehow knowing that he had ended someone's life. He saw Goten and looked at Tapion, then his son, a clear question written over his face. "What happened?" he asked.

After some explaining Vegeta was in a dull shock. The sword was not helping his mood. Hey why are you down Vegeta? Better be happy that I can't do anything to hurt people. "Oh hush! That's all you _can_ do!" Only if Trunks wields me. Which for some reason I don't think he will for a long long time. So in the meantime whenever I get the chance, I'll just bug the both of you! Doesn't that sound like fun? Vegeta ground his teeth. He would have to deal with this the rest of his life.

The next morning was a somber one. Tapion was leaving--again--back to his home world. It was proving to be harder than last time. Everyone was there to see him leave. "Tapion will we going to see you again?" Bulma asked. "There is a good chance yes." Come visit Brother. I'm going to be one pissed off sword if you don't. And you'd better come back in one piece! Tapion chuckled, "I will don't worry." He looked over to Trunks. "You take of him okay?" Trunks nodded knowing that Tapion was referring to the sword. Take care of me? I think I will be the one taking care of him! "Farewell to all of you! And stay well!" "Good luck Tapion!" Trunks shouted up to him. He had already was in the Time Capsule and high in the air. Tapion looked back at them. His friends. Tapion good luck Brother. I will miss you. "Me too." With that he blew a kiss to everyone and he disappeared.

A long silence followed after Tapion disappeared through time's flow. Then the sword spoke up, ...Now what?...

_Trunks woke up and found a smaller sword laying beside his bed and a marking on his hand. A foreign symbol with a foreign letter M in the center of it. _Crap,_ he thought. _I need to quit sleeping so much. Now _real_ shit is starting to hit the fan.

_**THE END!**_

_**Not bad huh? You know what's funny? I just made this up spur of the moment! It usually takes me forever to come up with something like this. No this DOES NOT retain to the true character of Minosha. Embodiment of Evil does. Read it to find out. Plz review! And No Flaming! It would be very much appreciated.**_


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